1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for improving the productivity of machine shops by minimizing work set up time and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for quickly and accurately attaching a fixture and workpiece to the work tables of one or more machine tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large machine shops have many different types of machine tools which may be manually controlled or may be automatically controlled by machining instructions placed on tapes, disc, micro processors, and computers or the like. As used herein, the term "tape" will be understood as including other automatic machine tool controllers. If automatically controlled, each tape has an indexing point thereon which is aligned with an indexing point on the work table of the specific machine being used before operating the machine. The machine tool operator then mounts the workpiece on the table with or without the aid of a jig such as a vice and then manually positions and locks the workpiece and/or jig on the table by conventional T-nuts, bolts and clamping fingers. Considerable productive machining time is lost because the above set up procedures require a considerable amount of time to accurately position the work piece and/or jig on the table and to then accurately clamp work pieces to the table at a location that is indexed with the indexing point on the work table.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,653 which issued to McCreery on Mar. 30, 1970 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,418 which issued to McCray et al on Jan. 23, 1979 disclosed ball locks for mounting tools in turrets or the like.